Ruefully Mary turned back inside and began the preparations for her dinner. She wasn't a bad little cook considering but cooking for one was no fun at all.

The kittens came prancing in and she was glad of their company and watching their antics as she worked in the kitchen made her task so much more pleasurable although she did have to watch where she put her feet.

With the dance looming so close it was difficult to decide just what to wear, she now had some pretty dresses but it was bitterly cold at night as now it was mid winter, what a time to hold a dance, she thought to herself.

Besides this was a village and in no way could it be described as moving with the times and with the majority of its residents being placed on farms she seriously doubted her ability to have any idea what the standard of dress for such an occasion would be.

Well. to-morrow after art group and the luncheon get together later she'd go off to see Tilly in the town's only dress shop to see what she suggested, she always knew about these things and with money no longer being a concern in Mary's life if she needed new clothes she was in the fortunate position to buy them.

She'd also call into the bank to arrange the separate little accounts she'd decided upon to help her keep track of her money. She knew that already she had underestimated the amount of money she needed to do everything she wanted but if it was spend up big this year, next year would be different as she would have completed all her expensive plans and the large sums she needed now would not recur again for many years to come.

Setting down the cats' dinners and their warm milk which they now lapped without making such a big mess before she started to eat her own she knew that after they'd been fed they'd snuggle up together and sleep for a couple of hours before waking for another play before they all retired for the night, the all, of course, including Mary.

Her hot dinner was delicious followed by a hot desert and Mary did like her food but she ate sensibly and had never been fat. In fact she had rather a nice figure which she'd never thought about before, until now, that is.

Grateful as she was for a new life she saw what it was like to snuggle up to someone when you went to sleep just as her kittens did. They thrived on the life they led. Frankly, Mary didn't.

It was only recently that she'd thought much about sex and had always thought there must have been something wrong with her. Now she longed for the comfort, the warmth, the sexual activity and having a man in your life.

How could she have left it so long. And how come all of those years she had never received advances from males, although looking back she realized she had had a few but just didn't respond. Now she was raring to go. A little late at 35, she knew.

She also knew she was not likely to find love in this small village, she'd never make a farmer's wife and besides they all seemed to be married by the time the men were 25 and the little ones came along regularly, just like the cattle and the sheep.

She was becoming increasingly anxious and since her metamorphosis and the ability to now lift her head and reveal to the world those magnificent eyes and she even smiled a lot more nowadays, she cursed herself for not recognising her attributes earlier.

Slow as Mary considered herself she'd fast begun to realize how attractive she was if only she were in her early twenties again.

She spent a very pleasant evening in her new home and love her sweet kittens so much but that was just not enough, not enough at all.

It took longer than usual for her to go to sleep, sexual feelings were bombarding her and keeping her wide awake. What a waste.

The rest of the week passed quickly , the old guy arrived to do the cat run which turned out very well and the kittens just loved their little trap door and would scurry off in and out and Tommy especially loved his new found freedom.

The dance came and Jake was true to his word, there was a roaring fire in the old barn and the music was very jolly and everyone joined into the barn dance, some of the young men were born clowns and had everyone in stitches and Mary found herself a new beau. His name was Harold, he told Mary what a wonderful dancer she was and how he really liked dancing with her as he repeatedly placed his clumsy feet on poor Mary's toes. She considered herself desperate for a man, but certainly not that desperate. She even found she won a spotlight prize of one of Grandma Elbert's hand knitted scarves but discovered later a number of dropped stitches as Mrs. Elbert's eyesight was not so good as it used to be. But everyone loved Grandma Elbert and woe betide Mary if she was not seen wearing the scarf, Mary just laughed to herself and spent a good part of the evening trying to rustle up a lift home everyone expecting she would go home with Harold, but that was not what Mary had in mind at all. She was a changed girl now, just a few short month's ago she would have felt obligated to accept his ride in his horse and buggy but she found herself a farming family who would pass close to her place and they were only too happy to oblige her with a lift.

Old Jeff had rejuvenated the patch out the back where the old shed had been and Mary spent some happy hours with him in the garden asking about chooks and wondering about what sort of dogs she would get.

Her self sown tomato plant in it's sunny little spot in the garden began to bear fruit and for the middle of winter Jeff was as surprised as she was.

As the days passed and her plans were starting to come together Mary was anxious once again to see her solicitor and her accountant and to visit the nearest city again. She was very keen to get her planned renovations under way and she now accepted that she'd have to engage someone from the city as there just wan't anyone locally who would do.

She discussed this with Dr. Jones and Norm the vet, who agreed to give her a week off asking if she'd come in and make up the time on her return and Mary's excitement at her city visit to her Boutique Hotel again and picking up with her driving lessons and hopefully coming back with a brand new licence and a brand new car knew no bounds.

She was absolutely thrilled to find herself on her way straight after work on Friday some three weeks later arriving about 8 o'clock in the evening in time for a late dinner. It was so nice to have a meal placed in front of her in the dining room with it's fresh white linen on the table and a very solicitous waiter. It was not a cheap hotel but Mary no longer had to worry about such things.